


Pins

by vass



Category: Imperial Radch Series - Ann Leckie
Genre: Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 15:46:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8923042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vass/pseuds/vass
Summary: Which one proposes?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Pure sap. There was [a Tumblr meme](https://vassraptor.tumblr.com/post/153954854143/gemofsphene-theegyptgame-ok-but-ask-yourself) with a list of dot point headcanons to ask about one's OTP. This is the one that got too long and accidentally became a fic.

“Ship, what’s this?”  
Kalr Five clears her throat, more nervous than _Mercy of Kalr_ itself. But then, Five has adrenal glands. "We were talking about it on the station, Sir, some of us Kalrs and a few of the Athoekis. And we thought there should be something like house affinity pins, even if we don't end up having houses in the same way any more, for the AIs to have, to give to who they want to. So Kelev, the jeweler, worked up some designs and went over them with the ships, and she and her workers are making them now. Station has one simple design it's giving to all its residents, that they can wear on formal occasions or when they want to. And ours are like the ship insignia but with the details changed for the Republic. But there are different settings for some of the other arrangements we considered, and larger ones to be hung in watch rooms and so forth..."

Ship interrupts Five's babbling. "Give her the box now," it prints in her vision.

"Begging your pardon for running on, Sir. These are for _Justice of Toren_. We thought you could wear one alongside your _Mercy of Kalr_ captain pin."

There's a brief pause while Breq's throat muscles tighten and relax again before she says "Thank you, Five, Ship."

She examines the pins. To an uninformed eye they would look like typical Radchaai pins, in a traditionally constructed wooden box, black lacquer with a dull brown velvet lining, the pins gleaming in contrast. The design for the house emblem is based subtly on those glyphs stations use to label ship cargo crates, and to someone familiar with such glyphs is clearly recognisable as _Justice of Toren_. There's one for basic house affinity, for Breq herself to wear, along with others for her to distribute. A few friendship pins, an 'important lover' pin, a clientage pin of all things, and... oh.

Ship follows her thoughts, discerning them from where her eyes focus and for how long, and observes the point where Breq stares and almost voices the word.

The setting is not one of the traditional Radchaai friendship or lovers pins, but it's closely enough related to one of the most popular styles for each to get the message across: a voluntary personal association of equals, comparable to an important lover or friend. There are two of them. one is the same as the other _Justice of Toren_ pins, other than the setting. The other has the same setting with a different house emblem design. _Mercy of Kalr_.

"You don't have to wear it, of course," Ship tells her, giving the words to Kalr Five to say. "Although I would like it if you'd at least wear my captain insignia."

Breq blinks. Her eyes move to the next row of pins, which are rank insignia. the first one is, as promised, a redesign of _Mercy of Kalr_ 's ship insignia, captain version. Next to it are two more, captain and lieutenant, in _Justice of Toren_ 's design.

Silently, _Mercy of Kalr_ tells her "I know you can't have officers of your own, precisely, but I wanted you to have these anyway."

Breq sends wordless acknowledgement. She can't look away from the pins.

Finally she looks up to Kalr Five, who is watching expectantly.

"We'll hang this in the watch room." She gestures to the _Justice of Toren_ captain pin. "Perhaps with a small ceremony."

"Yes, Sir," Kalr Five says, with the deep approval she normally reserves for discussing the good dishes.

"Dismissed, Five," Breq says.  
"Yes, Sir, thank you, Sir," Kalr Five says.

After Five leaves, Breq turns back to the pin box. Quickly, without thinking too hard, she selects the two _Mercy of Kalr_ pins, the captain pin and the other one, and attaches them to her uniform jacket. Ship, watching, says nothing.

*

After shift change, over dinner, she shows the box to Seivarden, who seems strangely melancholic. Perhaps not strange. She doesn't have any Vendaai house pins of her own to give people, or any of the expected friendship and affinity and clientage pins a person of her age and rank would normally wear. Her new _Mercy of Kalr_ lieutenant insignia pin will replace its Radchaai equivalent as the sole decoration on her uniform jacket.

Breq looks down at the box and takes out the _Justice of Toren_ lieutenant pin. She holds it out to Seivarden. "I'd like you to wear this next to your new _Mercy of Kalr_ insignia, when you have it," she says.

It looks very small and bright against Seivarden's dark brown gloves. She tries to pin it on at once. Her hand trembles a little.

Breq steps forward and takes the pin from her. "Let me," she says. Seivarden stands obediently still. Breq fixes the pin in place, then stays there, standing close by. After a long moment, she puts her arms around her.

Seivarden breathes out a sigh, and leans into the touch. Breq feels the warmth radiating from her; feels also, from Ship, a steady stream of data: Seivarden's joy, and mixed with it Bo decade, now asleep, Ekalu on watch, Medic humming as she works, Kalr Five contentedly planning a ceremony. Breq breathes it all in, then hums along.


End file.
